A dedicated soccer fan turned the World Cup into a booze-guzzling elimination tournament of his own.
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Gus Hully explained to PEOPLE that he spent roughly $400 to purchase beers from all 48 countries competing in the World Cup. Each time a participating team was eliminated, the London native swigged a beer from the respective country "as a toast to their participation and failure."
Hully, a music industry analyst, said that his World Cup-inspired drinking game was more costly than he realized. By the end, he ran up a $400 bill acquiring 48 beers from around the globe.
"Turns out buying 48 beverages can be quite expensive," Hully said.
Hully added that, due to strict alcohol regulations from the participating countries, retrieving the beers wasn't as simple as adding them to his online cart and submitting the order. Determined to collect all 48 beers, Hully had to rely on help from across the pond.
"I struggled with Iraq, so I had to send [$40] to a guy in Poland. Who then sent me a non-alcoholic malt beverage that he brought back as a souvenir from a trip a couple of years ago," he explained.
London Man Continues World Cup Tradition
Hully revealed that his international beer quest isn't limited to the Men's World Cup, either. Since 2010, the London native has competed in the fun-natured drinking game. However, this is his first attempt since FIFA expanded the World Cup field from 32 to 48 teams.
"A friend of mine tried it for the 2010 World Cup. He didn't quite get the complete set. So, I thought I'd give it a go," he told PEOPLE. "I tried and failed in 2014 but have managed to get them all for the World Cups in 2018 and 2022. Along with Women's World Cups in 2019 and 2023."
Hully is not the only person to spend big on the World Cup. Grammy Award-winning artist Drake placed a massive $1.5 million bet on the World Cup Final winner.
Unfortunately for the "Passionfruit" singer, he put all his chips on the wrong team. Spain, whom Drake wagered against, defeated Argentina to win the 2026 World Cup.
As a result of Spain's tightly contested victory, Drake missed out on a $5 million payout.
